“I need some time with you,” she said.  My response was, “Ummmm, we live together.  Could you be a little more specific?”  I could see it in her eyes though I couldn’t figure out if it was fatigue, frustration, irritation or a combination of the three.  Life had gotten crazy.  We were burning the candle at both ends, chasing our children everywhere, running off to some practice or special event, and trying to control a thousand other things that demanded our immediate attention.  This was a red flag moment and I needed to pay attention.  When we were dating, and even earlier in our marriage, it was much easier.  A date night required a simple decision, a quick shower, and off we went.  Now that we have children there were more details involved.  There were babysitters to be scheduled and paid, bathing and feeding the kids, doing homework, and so much more.  We were disconnected.  It wasn’t purposeful but it had happened.  We had allowed other things to become higher priority.  The longer we put off spending those intimate moments with each other the more disconnected we became.  Sure, we were living in the same house and sleeping in the same bed….but our hearts cried for more.  We longed for moments of speaking to one another privately about everything and nothing– without having to get someone a snack, change a diaper, or trying to talk over another re-run of Barney.  She missed her time with me, and I with her.  Without those intimate moments our relationship was becoming, well, more of a living arrangement.  We were just existing.

It’s the same way in our relationship with God.  In the beginning things are new and fresh.  We don’t have to find time to spend in prayer and Bible reading, it’s an honor and necessity.  We CHOOSE to do those things.  Time passes, the relationship becomes stronger, we become a little more comfortable and then……..we start slipping a little.  Other things start becoming a bigger priority.  The cycle continues until we’ve pulled away from God and find ourselves drifting towards things that once made us uncomfortable.  We relax our convictions and pretend certain things don’t matter.  Before you know it you’ve almost completely forsaken a relationship that was once a priority.  A bond is formed in those intimate moments.  Transparency breeds trust.  Trust strengthens the foundations of a relationship.  Exodus 34:14 reminds us He’s a jealous God.  He LONGS to have that time with us.  But He’s also a gentleman and will not push Himself upon you.  He proved His love when He sent His Son to die for our filthy sins.  I encourage you to take an inventory of your life today.  Have you been pulling away?  Is your relationship drifting apart?  Is He saying, “I need some time with you.”?  If you can honestly read this and convince yourself everything is okay you have an even bigger issue than you realize.  He’s waiting for you to ignore everything else and choose Him again.  He’s not looking for a cheap Saturday night date.  He’s looking for a bride…….without spot or blemish.  Are you prostituting yourself out to everything and everyone else?  Do you genuinely want a stronger relationship?  Talk is cheap.  Prove it by doing something about it.